SECTION ONE
INTRODUCTION
Poetry is a form of literary expression that differs from prose in emphasizing the line as the unit of composition. Poetry is also defined as the literary genre that is presented in verses and stanzas as well as musical features.
SECTION TWO
OVERVIEW OF THE TERM 'POETRY'
The word 'Poetry' is derived from a Greek term, 'Poesis' which means 'making or creating.' The prose is the writing which is organized in sentences and paragraphs, while poetry is organized in units called lines/verses and stanzas.
The reader can recognize the poetry by its appearances on the paper. The reader can respond to the poetry by reading it aloud. This element differentiates poetry from prose.
Even our instincts alone tell us that when words are put together in a certain way, they are poetry.
TYPES OF POETRY
Traditionally, poems have been classified into two major categories:
(A) Traditional poems
These are poems that follow the strict rules of composing poems such as balance in the number of words for each stanza, rhyming, balance in rhythm as well as the equal number of words for each line in every stanza.
These are also called closed poems, or formal poems.
However, even some modern poems observe some poetic rules such as rhymes as well.
(B) Modern Poems
These are poems that do not necessarily follow the strict rules of composing poems such as balance in the number of words for each stanza, rhyming, balance in rhythm as well as the equal number of words for each line in every stanza.
These poems are also called open poems, free verse, or informal poems.
CONCLUSION
The situation of a poem being traditional or modern does not have a direct relationship with time. For example, a poem may be composed today and yet be regarded as a traditional poem because it follows traditional poetic rules.
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